Plaque
Deposit of fat (cholesterol) and/or fibrin, sometimes also calcification, inside a blood vessel, narrowing or completely blocking the blood vessel. When plaque is present to a large extent the condition is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis in the legs causes pain when walking, in the heart it causes angina, where the patient in addition to heart pain also suffers som shortness of breath and reduced blood supply to the heart muscle itself and other body parts. Blood clots may originate on the plaques and stick to them, causing very acute or subacute ischaemic symptoms.
GE Healthcare Glossary